#Kuti black souls

[kimiyounakid]

🐙🌟

[donglepussthetwin]

My favorites from Black Souls (don't tell Alice)

[burlveneer-music]

RAH & The Ruffcats - Orile to Berlin

As one of the most sought after and technically sublime working bands in the German live music scene, Berlin based Ruffcats are something of an institution. This eight-piece outfit made up of some of the country’s most revered session musicians, pool all of their diverse influences and come together as Ruffcats to create a unique take on the music they love. Since forming in 2007, and via their live jams at Bohannon Soul Club in Berlin, Ruffcats have found themselves acting as the backing band for artists such as Georgia Anne Muldrow, Sweet Charles, Lady Alma, Jaguar Wright, Miles Bonny & many more. In and out of the studio, they have also worked continuously with German soul singer Flomega, and in 2013 the Ruffcats were the touring band for the first Voice of Germany winner Ivy Quainoo. In the meantime, and for over a decade, Rapturous Apollo Helios, better known as RAH, has been making a name for himself as one of Berlins' most outstanding rappers, songwriters and vocalists. Originally hailing from Lagos, Nigeria, RAH’s music has always been influenced by his environment as well as a rich history of black music from hip hop to soul and, of course, Afrobeat. Having crowned his journey from Lagos to Berlin with the release of his debut album, How Far? in 2018, RAH began the next stage of his sonic adventure by hooking up with long-time friends, the Ruffcats band. Their first single together, the Curtis Mayfield influenced Shifting Sands, dropped the same year to huge acclaim, and it wasn’t long before both parties looked towards working on a larger project together. After a pause for the pandemic, their collaborative process really began to bear fruit, and following the release of the warmly received singles Agidi, MoonSun and Sorry, they now present their debut full length LP. Entitled Orile To Berlin, the album marks RAH’s migration from the area he grew up in Lagos to the German capital he calls home today. It’s an LP steeped in Afrobeat and highlife but with funk sensibilities and a hip hop attitude. Produced by Jochen Ströh, producer for Ebo Taylor classics Love & Death and Appia Kwa Bridge, and mixing engineer for Pat Thomas and Kwashibu Area Band, it has a strong production pedigree. It represents the band’s own version of Afrobeat within the unwritten laws of this music, and without trying to make a Fela Kuti copycat record. The album draws on original Afrobeat influences with tracks like Agidi and Rodeo reminiscent of the golden age of the genre, albeit with RAH’s distinctive rasping hip hop vocals and perhaps a more concise and to-the-point framework than the Afro-political anthems of 1970’s Lagos.

[lboogie1906]

Iyeoka Okoawo (born April 28, 1975) is a Nigerian-American poet, recording artist, singer, activist, educator, and TEDGlobal Fellow. Her music includes elements from soul, R&B, rock, hip-hop, and jazz.

A first-generation Nigerian-American, she was a practicing pharmacist before launching her musical career.

She began her musical career by founding the group The Rock by Funk Tribe, a collective of musicians that enabled her to interweave her poetry with jazz, blues, funk, and gospel. She released her first solo full-length album of poem songs, called Black and Blues, through Phanai Records. Then she began to tour and appeared on other artists’ albums, including The Press Project’s Get Right album and Memoirs of the Tempo by Tempo Valley.

She released her second album of poetry and music fusion, Hum The Bass Line, again on Phanai Records. She made a cover of U2's hit song “Desire” for a compilation of U2 covers called In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2. The album featured Grammy Award-winning/nominated African artists, including Angelique Kidjo, Les Nubians, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, Vieux Farka Touré, Vusi Mahlasela, and the Soweto Gospel Choir.

She released her new album, Say Yes, containing nine songs and two poems, through the Underground Sun artist development company. The first song, “The Yellow Brick Road Song”, was featured in an episode of How To Make It in America. “The Yellow Brick Road Song” is being used as the theme song for the series “Fairly Legal”.

She was nominated in The 10th Annual Independent Music Awards for her song “This Time Around” in the R&B Song category.

She is touring in support of the new album and her poetry. She has toured in support of artists such as Femi Kuti, Zap Mama, and Soulive, as well as playing at musical festivals, including Bonnaroo. The buzz surrounding her poetry has garnered her national attention through performances at the TBS Trumpet Awards, the Sullivan Honors Awards at the Kennedy Center, and Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[reasoningdaily]

Soul Power Kinshasa Zaire 1974 Muhammad Ali ,James Brown,Bill Withers, and a host of other international stars.

This is a historical document - because there will never be another Rumble in the Jungle.. especially with this type of stage presence.  Imagine, Zaire.. Man

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/jul/12/soul-power-james-brown

Leon Gast's brilliant fly-on-the-wall film When We Were Kings won the Oscar for best documentary when it was released in 1997. It told the surreal story of the "rumble in the jungle", the extraordinary heavyweight fight in Zaire in 1974 when Muhammad Ali beat George Foreman to win back his world title against the odds.

The fight was the main event, but a three-day music festival, called Zaire '74, also took place in Kinshasa, featuring some of the heavyweights of American soul, African pop and Latin-American jazz. It was headlined by the Godfather of Soul himself, James Brown, who was brought to Africa, alongside the Detroit Spinners, Bill Withers and BB King, by the festival organisers, Stewart Levine and South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela. Also in town for the concert were Stokely Carmichael, the black power figurehead, and Don King, the motor-mouth boxing promoter.

Soul Power tells the story of the festival and its myriad characters in an impressionistic swirl of images and music. It begins with the organisers frantically trying to build a stage, install a PA and hold it all together as the musicians start arriving. When James Brown and Ali enter the same dressing room, there is barely enough oxygen left even for Don King. The jive talk is non-stop, but it's the music that mesmerises - and the audience's wild reaction to it. BB King wows the crowd with the restrained power of The Thrill is Gone, Bill Withers bravely slows things down with the brooding ballad Hope She'll be Happier, and Brown climaxes with - what else? - Say it Loud: I'm Black and I'm Proud, which, had there been a roof on the stadium, would have taken it clean off.

The vibe is celebratory throughout despite the hassles, the various besuited business opportunists and the great big elephant in the room - President Mobutu and his years of corruption and misrule. Given that it is 35 years since the concert and fight took place, one might have hoped from some retrospective wisdom from some of the surviving performers. That one quibble aside, Soul Power is a riveting glimpse of another time and another place, when things were more radical and more gloriously ramshackle. Where was Fela Kuti, though?

[beansonbread2]

BEANSONBREAD AWARDS 2023 - BEST SONG

AWARD NO.5 - BEST SONG OF 2023

PAST WINNERS

2022 > Jockstrap 'Concrete Over Water' (see full list HERE)

2021 > Self Esteem ‘Prioritise Pleasure’ (see full list HERE)

2020 > Jockstrap ‘Acid’ (see full list HERE)

2019 > Weyes Blood ‘Andromeda’ (see full list HERE)

2018 >Let’s Eat Grandma ‘It’s Not Just Me’ (see full list HERE)

2017 > Richard Dawson ‘Ogre’ (see full list HERE)

2016 > Solange ‘Cranes In the Sky’ (see full list HERE)

2015 > Kendrick Lamar ‘The Blacker The Berry’ (see full list HERE)

2014 > FKA Twigs ‘Two Weeks’ (see full list HERE)

2013 > Oliver Wilde ‘Perrett’s Brook’ (see full list HERE)

2010 > Untold ‘Stop What You’re Doing (James Blake Remix) (see full list HERE)

2009 > Joker - ‘Digidesign’ (see full list HERE)

2008 > Lil’ Wayne - ‘A Milli’ (see full list HERE)

2007 > Panda Bear - ‘Bros’ (see full list HERE)

2006 > Hot Chip - ‘Over And Over’ (see full list HERE)

-

RULES - A maximum of THREE tracks from any one artist. Songs can be tied in the same position.

-

THE RUNNERS UP (in alphabetical order)

100 Gecs ‘Hollywood Baby’

Alabaster DePlume ‘Did You Know’

Animal Collective ‘Soul Capturer’ / ‘Defeat’

Aphex Twin ‘Blackbox Life Recorder 21f’

Avey Tare ‘The Musical’

Bar Italia ‘Nurse!’ / ‘My Little Tony’  

Bas Jan ‘No More Swamp’

BC Camplight ‘The Last Rotation Of Earth’

Beabadoobee & Clairo ‘Glue Song’

Beck & Phoenix ‘Odyssey’

Benjamin Spike Saunders ‘I Can’t Impress You’

Big Thief ‘Vampire Empire’

Biig Piig ‘In The Dark’

Blur ‘The Narcissist’

Danny Brown ‘Tantor’ / ‘Jenn’s Terrific Vacation’

Das Koolies ‘Pain Down The Drain’

Dean Blunt & TYSON ‘Rinsed’

Divorce ‘Scratch Your Metal’

Django Django ‘Don’t Touch That Dial’ / ‘Black Cadillac’

Dorian Electra ‘Puppet’

English Teacher ‘The World’s Biggest Paving Slab’

Feist ‘Borrow Trouble’

Felicita ‘Spalarkle (Alys)'

Firestations ‘Undercover’

Hannah Diamond ‘Affirmations’ / ‘Twisted’

H. Hawkline ‘Plastic Man’

Janelle Monae, Seun Kuti, Egypt 80 ‘Float’

Jessy Lanza ‘Limbo’

Jockstrap ‘Sexy 2’

John Cale ‘Noise Of You’

JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown ‘Scaring The Hoes’ / ‘Lean Beef Patty’

Kara Jackson ‘Dickhead Blues’

Katy J Pearson ‘Willow’s Song’

Kelela ‘Contact’

King Krule ‘Seaforth’

The Lemon Twigs ‘Any Time of Day’

Lil Yachty ‘Drive Me Crazy!’

Liz Lawrence & Steve Mason ‘I Was There’

Magdalena Bay ‘Top Dog’

Martha Ffion ‘The Wringer’

MAY ‘Phone Me’

Memotone ‘Door To The Sky’

MGMT ‘Bubblegum Dog’ / ‘Mother Nature’

Minor Conflict ‘Second-Hand Time / ‘Living Statue’

Mitski ‘Bug Like An Angel’

Mun Sing ‘Waiting In The Car’

Nadine Shah ‘Topless Mother’

Nourished By Time ‘Daddy’ / ‘The Fields’

Oneohtrix Point Never ‘On An Axis’

One True Pairing ‘Frozen Food Centre’

Overmono ‘Good Lies’

Panda Bear, Sonic Boom, Adrian Sherwood ‘Whirlpool Dub’

Patten ‘Walk With U’

Pinkpantheress & Ice Spice ‘Boy’s A Liar Pt.2’

Pozi ‘Failing’ / ‘Pest Control’

Quade ‘Streching Out’

Roisin Murphy 'CooCool'

Rozi Plain ‘Complicated’ / ‘Painted The Room’

Seamus Fogarty ‘They Recognised Him’

Shabazz Palaces ‘Binoculars’

Sierra Manhattan ‘Smartphones’

Slauson Malone 1 ‘New Joy’

Sleaford Mods ‘UK Grim’ / ‘Force 10 From Navarone’

The Smile ‘Wall Of Eyes’

Squid ‘Siphon Song’ / ‘Undergrowth’

Steve Mason ‘The People Say’

Tapeworms ‘IRL’

Terry ‘Gold Duck’

Tirzah ‘No Limit’

Trust Fund ‘London’

Vagabon ‘Carpenter’

Warmduscher ‘Love Strong’

Weird Wave ‘Unrecognise!’

Wesley Gonzalez ‘Dress Rehearsal’ / ‘When I Rot’

Yaeji ‘For Granted’ / ‘Done (Let’s Get It)’

-

THE TOP 25 SONGS OF 2023

25. Bjork & Rosalia ‘Oral’

24. MF Tomlinson ‘We Are Still Wild Horses’

23. Fever Ray ‘Even It Out’

22. Dorian Electra ‘Freak Mode’

21. Nourished By Time ‘Shed The Fear’

20. ANOHNI & The Johnsons ‘It Must Change’

19. Young Fathers ‘Rice’

18. Kwes, Sampha, Tirzah ‘Open Up’

17. Max Tundra ‘Lights 2023’

16. Squid ‘Undergrowth’

15. Tara Clerkin Trio ‘Marble Walls’

14. Rozi Plain ‘Help’

13. The Lemon Twigs ‘When Winter Comes Around’ / ‘Corner Of My Eye’

12. Animal Collective ‘Gem & I’

11. Max Tundra ‘This Woman’s Work’

10. Water From Your Eyes ‘Barley’

9. Django Django & Self Esteem ‘Complete Me’

8. JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown ‘Burfict!’

7. Bill Ryder-Jones ‘This Can’t Go On’

6. Squid ‘Swing (In A Dream)’

5. Tara Clerkin Trio ‘The Turning Ground’

4. Lana Del Rey ‘A&W’

3. Steve Mason ‘Brixton Fish Fry’

2. Caroline Polachek ‘Dang’

1. Oneohtrix Point Never ‘A Barely Lit Path’

[lunapaper]

Album Review: 'The Age of Pleasure' - Janelle Monaé

Janelle Monaé is apparently on that champagne shit. 

The self-proclaimed ‘free-ass motherfucker’ leaves behind the futurist dystopia to enter her The Age of Pleasure on her fourth album.  

Unapologetically Black, queer and proud in a world maniacally determined to do away with all three at the moment, Monaé is the life of the party, bringing the braggadocio of previous tracks like 2018’s ‘Django Jane’ poolside, though with a citrus zest that doesn’t quite fizz in the way it should. 

Aquatically inclined tracks like ‘Float’ (ft. Sean Kuti and Egypt 80) and ‘Water Slide’ offer simmering sensuality in the form of brassy horns and hypnotic Afrobeats, with Monaé deliciously boasting on the latter: ‘If I could fuck me right here, right now/I would do that.’  

The theme of self-love runs deep throughout The Age of Pleasure, Monaé admiring herself with the same vigour as she does everyone else. ‘A bitch look good/A bitch look haute/A bitch look pretty/A bitch look handsome,’ she purrs on ‘Haute,’ feeling young, Black and proud as she gets her Bowie on, strutting her way through a sea of drowsy island beats. ‘I'm lookin' at a thousand versions of myself/And we're all fine as fuck,’ she later marvels on ‘Phenomenal,’ while recent single ‘Lipstick Lover,’ her demands are firm: Whisper in her ear, give a little tongue, a ‘sticky hickey in a place I won't forget.’ Later, she only has eyes for 2, the singer revelling in all its wine-sipping, neck-biting glory as sensual 70s soul meets tropical temptation with a slight sci-fi edge.  

Songs pass in a sultry, slumberous haze. But the longer the party goes on, the more the energy in the room starts to wane. Even for a 32 minute album, said songs begin to feel repetitive and a little tiresome. It’s also shocking that Monaé, who’s given us such biting commentary in the past on everything from race to politics to feminism, would write material so broad, so one-dimensional, and occasionally cringy.  

‘A Dry Red’ opens with a truly corn-worthy line: ‘Hey baby, let me plant my seed.’ On ‘the Rush,’ she resorts to sappy, teenage-level mooning (‘I look into your eyes and I get that rush/Maybe ‘cos tonight, you’re gonna be my crush’), while ’Haute’ is either basic bitch parody or blatant Lizzo plagiarism (‘Rollin' around with my besties/Skin looking good 'cause we stress free’). ‘Water Slide’ is just a bunch of swimming metaphors. 

There’s nothing wrong with Monaé wanting to let loose and have a little fun. But she’s managed to find a happy balance between pop and purpose in the past. Take, for instance, ‘Dance Apocalyptic’ and its cartoonish frenzy taking the piss out of Cold War conformity, the irresistible funk of ‘Q.U.E.E.N.’ and its joyous proclamations of queer pride, and its neon-lit predecessor, ‘Make Me Feel.’ 

The Age of Pleasure is heavy on vibe but light on ideas. For an album that’s all about sex (baby), queer identity and hedonistic bliss, it’s not all that adventurous, more simpering than simmering at times as Monaé cycles through the same empty boasting and tired cliches. Padding out the album with so-called interludes also feels like cheating, especially since most of them are merely extensions of other tracks. 

There are some compelling moments – the sultry Bossa Nova groove of ‘Phenomenal,’ ‘Lipstick Lover’s elastic basslines; the Latin-tinged guitars on ‘The Rush’ and its sublime harmonies; the decadent burst of French by the icon herself Grace Jones on ‘Ooh La La.’ But compared to the highly ambitious world-building of The ArchAndroid and other releases, the album feels like quite a letdown, too self-indulgent to be a true party record with each track sounding more indistinct than the last. 

It feels like sacrilege to call a Janelle Monaé album boring, but... The Age of Pleasure is, I’m sad to say, rather boring.  

- Bianca B. 

[danielsiegelalonso]

Music: The Universal Language for Positivity and Change

Music has a way of speaking directly to the soul, shattering language barriers and cultural differences to unite people. It's not just a soundtrack to our lives but a powerful tool for communication, particularly when it comes to sparking positive change. Music has played a pivotal role in inspiring hope, unity, and action--from the American civil rights movement to anti-colonial protests in Africa.

Outspoken artists like Nina Simone, Woody Guthrie, and Fela Kuti used their music not just to entertain audiences but to challenge the status quo. They understood that music, with its universal appeal, could stir people into action more effectively than any speech or manifesto. Daniel Siegel Alonso dives into how these artists used their craft to create change and why music is the universal language for positivity and transformation.

A Voice for the Oppressed

Nina Simone knew firsthand the power of music in the fight for equality. She wasn't simply a singer or pianist; she was a storyteller; a political activist with a piano as her pulpit. During the 1960s, when racial tensions were at a boiling point in the United States, Siegel Alonso points out that Simone used her voice to push back against injustice. Her song "Mississippi Goddam" was a ferocious response to the 1963 bombing of a black church in Birmingham, Alabama, and the assassination of civil rights leader Medgar Evers.

With lyrics like "Alabama's got me so upset / Tennessee made me lose my rest," she didn't mince words or worry about being demure. She was furious—and rightfully so—and her music became a rallying cry for those fighting for change. Simone's music was emotional but also deeply intellectual, a blend of jazz, classical, and gospel that spoke directly to the struggles of Black America. But more importantly, it was a call to action, a demand for equality and justice.

This Machine Kills Fascists

Before the High Priestess of Soul, there was Woody Guthrie, the folk singer who became the voice of the American working class. Born during the Great Depression, Guthrie traveled the country with his Gibson guitar, singing about the plight of farmers, migrant workers, and the unemployed. His anthem, "This Land Is Your Land," is one of the most famous protest songs in American history, though most people don't realize just how radical it was. Beneath its upbeat, singalong chorus lies a biting critique of inequality and land ownership.

Guthrie was fearless in taking on the powers that be. His guitar, famously labeled with the words "This machine kills fascists," was his weapon of choice in the fight for fairness and workers' rights. His songs, Siegel Alonso says, echoed the struggles of everyday people, and they had a way of simplifying complex social issues into something anyone could understand. Guthrie believed in the power of collective action, and his songs were meant to inspire ordinary folks to stand up and demand change.

Afrobeat Revolution

Across the Atlantic, Fela Kuti was using his music to combat a different kind of oppression. In Nigeria, Kuti pioneered Afrobeat, a blend of jazz, funk, and traditional African rhythms, to challenge corrupt governments and colonial powers. His music wasn't just entertainment—it was revolution. Songs like "Zombie," which criticized Nigeria's military regime, made him a target of the government. But Kuti didn't back down. He continued to use his platform to speak out against political corruption, human rights abuses, and the exploitation of African people.

Kuti's music was infectious, filled with vibrant beats and complex rhythms, but it was also profoundly political. He believed music could be a form of resistance, a way to galvanize people into demanding change. His concerts were not just performances but gatherings of people ready to challenge the status quo. Even as he faced harassment and violence from the government, Kuti's commitment to using music as a force for good never wavered.

The Universal Language of Positivity

Daniel Siegel Alonso reminds us that music isn't just a protest tool—it's a force for positivity. It lifts us up, reminds us of our shared humanity, and gives us the energy to fight for a better world. Whether it's Nina Simone demanding civil rights, Woody Guthrie standing up for workers, or Fela Kuti calling out corrupt regimes, these artists showed us that music can do more than entertain. It can inspire change.

So, the next time you hear a song that makes you want to dance, sing, or shout, remember: it might just be the spark that ignites a revolution.

[teecommerceexplorer]

Retro Afrobeat is My Therapy Sweatshirt: A Journey of Music and Comfort

One cannot find real happiness in this hectic world. This sweatshirt can give real comfort and joy and reveals a detailed summary of music.

Afrobeat is a niche that appeared in the early 1960s and was a powerful fusion of traditional African music, jazz, highlife, funk, and chanted vocals. Afrobeat is more than a piece of music. It’s an enlightening movement that speaks to the soul. This shirt provides comfort in the present but has a history behind it.

Afrobeat music was founded by Fela Kuti the-de “Afrobeat is not just music.” The ‘Retro Afrobeat is My Therapy’ sweatshirt encompasses this idea perfectly – it talks about the past, but it comforts the present.

A Tribute to Afrobeat Legends

Coating yourself in the Retro Afrobeat is My Therapy sweatshirt is like getting a blend of the rich history of Afrobeat music. This design contains distinct lines and features bright artwork Every time you put this sweatshirt on, it helps as an invitation to explore the origins of Afrobeat. of the positive energy and important messages Afrobeat musicians bring. It is a wearable emblem of the black diaspora’s spirit of endurance and innovation.

Comfort Meets Style

The Retro Afrobeat is My Therapy sweatshirt is well-designed and is made from quality material to ensure comfort and warmth. This sweatshirt is perfect for wearing on city trips, coming and going to small meetings, or simply staying at home. This is like the beat of Afro music that feels like healing, and the same can be said about the soft fabric which gives a comforting feeling just like hugging.

Music as Therapy

The features of music in the healing process are not new so it applies to Afrobeat. It just so happens that the kind of romantic tunes and bass-promulgating rhythms proved to elate people’s spirits, ease stress, and contribute to rugged unity. Having this sweatshirt lets us know that music can heal. It explains how Afrobeat with its infectious beats and messages of hope can work as healing to people in their everyday lives.

A Conversation Starter

To begin with, the Retro Afrobeat is My Therapy sweatshirt touches more than just comfort but is also great for starting discussions. This hoodie is easy to chat in, no matter if you have previously been a fan of pop-punk or if you are only now getting into its bopping tunes. It's an opportunity to interact with like-minded individuals and share the beauty of Afrobeat with others. Unlike the everyday fashion accessory which is just a tool of putting on an aesthetic show to envy, it is a way of creating a sense of togetherness in as much as it symbolizes a shared love for the representative artifact.

Conclusion

The retro Afrobeat My Therapy sweatshirt combines style, comfort, and cultural devotion. It's a piece of clothing that tells a narrative, conjures a mood, and offers a method of treatment thanks to its relationship to Afrobeat music. When you wear it, you're not simply wearing a piece of clothing; you're also honoring a rich musical tradition and the healing power of rhythm. So, the next time you need comfort or a boost of happiness, reach for this hoodie and let the spirit of Afrobeat embrace you.

[dontaskchaosandco]

Music Album Bracket Qualifiers Form

Please put checkmarks next to whichever albums you personally like. You can give checks to none of them, all of them, or anything in between.

The current plan is to put 32 of these albums on a bracket (4 from each group). If an album seems like an exceptionally-unfair fight, it may be disqualified.

THE FOLLOWING IS A FULL LIST OF EVERY ALBUM ON THE FORM

A Night at the Opera After Hours (The Weeknd) Charlie Brown Christmas OST Dark Side of the Moon Discovery (Daft Punk) Elvis Presley (self-titled) Folklore (Taylor Swift) Giant Steps Hotel California Led Zeppelin IV Map of the Soul: 7 (BTS) Pet Sounds Sgt. Pepper's Thriller To Pimp a Butterfly WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP… 1000 gecs American Idiot Black Parade Bridge over Troubled Water Darkness on the Edge of Town Highway 61 Revisited IGOR In the Court of the Crimson King Let it Bleed Night Visions OK Computer Out of the Blue Remain in Light Renaissance (Beyoncé) So (Peter Gabriel) Toto IV Brat (Charli XCX) Catch a Fire Channel Orange Déjà vu (CSNY) Fragile (Yes) Getz/Gilberto loveless Madvillainy Rumours (Fleetwood Mac) Selected Ambient Works 85–92 Sign o' the Times Songs in the Key of Life The Velvet Underground & Nico Undertale OST Vespertine Ziggy Stardust Back in the High Life Bitches Brew Black Album (Metallica) Boston (self-titled) Breakfast in America Cross (Justice) Currents (Tame Impala) Demon Days Goodbye & Good Riddance Samurai (Lupe Fiasco) Sung Tongs Travelling Without Moving True Blue (Madonna) Turnstiles Weird Al Yankovic in 3-D Whenever You Need Somebody 3 Feet High and Rising Aqualung Business as Usual Cuphead OST Lateralus Mollusk (Ween) Omnipotent Youth Society (self-titled) Over-Nite Sensation PetroDragonic Apocalypse Solid State Survivor SOS (SZA) Spirit Phone The Chirping Crickets This Year's Model (Attractions) Tommy (The Who) Trout Mask Replica Etazhi Flood (Boris) Flood (They Might Be Giants) Floral Shoppe Good Faith (Madeon) Indestructible Beat of Soweto LUX (Asleep Country) Mother 1 OST Philosophy of the World Pink Tape (Lil Uzi Vert) Pinkerton Recovery (Eminem) Soundtracks for the Blind Unhappy Refrain Worlds (Porter Robinson) Zombie (Fela Kuti) Adventures (T-Square) An empty bliss beyond this World Cyriak's Animation Remix Excursions (C418) Fourth World (Kara's Flowers) Global Drum Project Grim Fandango OST Hawaii: Part II Hell's Pit (Insane Clown Posse) I Didn't Mean to Haunt You Let Her Burn Octavarium Odyssey (HOME) Spirituality and Distortion Squaredance (Kitsune^2) Under the Western Freeway 005: A Lovely Pear Another Light (Red Vox) bird world Cave World death cycle (begotten) Geogaddi He Has Left Us Alone… Hit Vibes (SAINT PEPSI) Motorway (Fearofdark) SAVED! (Kristin Hayter) SGFR Presents: RIP^2 TRUST CEREMONY Untitled Paint Project Volcanic Bird Enemy… WLFGRL zero_one

[boricuacherry-blog]

Despite their split, Ghariokwu's work refracted into many different areas of black culture in the decades after. For 11 years each, he created artwork for Polygram and Kennis Music, the latter a Nigerian label that preceded the Afrobeats explosion of today. Meanwhile, his influence shaped socially-conscious US hip-hop, from the Pan-African paintings that cover A Tribe Called Quest's albums to the handwritten titles of De La Soul's songs. Though Ghariokwu's time with Kuti ended at just 22, his art has lasted. He posits a simple explanation as to why: "I reflected my generation."

[mondoradiowmse]

PLAYLIST: Mondo Radio (03/20/24)

Here's the playlist for this week's edition of Mondo Radio, which you can download or stream here. This episode: "Bring You Love", featuring classic Afrobeat and more. If you dig it, don't forget to also follow the show on Facebook and Twitter!

Artist - Song - Album

Asiko Rock Group - Every Body Get Down - Asiko Rock Group

Asiko Rock Group - Solo, Mon, A Ndoan - Asiko Rock Group

Bokoor Band - Yeah Yeah Ku Yeah - Bokoor Beats: Vintage Afro-Beat Afro-Rock & Electric Highlife From Ghana

Victor Uwaifo - Ekassa 29 - Ekassa

Mangwana Stars - Atiadele - Bokoor Beats: Vintage Afro-Beat Afro-Rock & Electric Highlife From Ghana

Orchestre G.M.I - Groupement Mobil D'Intervention - Africa - Senegal 70: Sonic Gems & Previously Unreleased Recordings From The 70's

Ayalèw Mèsfin - Hasabé - The Rough Guide To African Rare Groove, Vol. 1

Victor Olaiya's All Stars Soul International - Let Yourself Go - The Rough Guide To Psychedelic Africa

Mulatu Astatke - Munaye - Mulatu Of Ethiopia

The Morells - Growin' A Beard - Shake And Push

Osibisa - Beautiful Seven - Woyaya

Pax Nicholas And The Nettey Family - Ataa Onukpa - Na Teef Know De Road Of Teef

Fela Kuti - Shakara - The Best Best Of Fela Kuti

Tony Grey & The Black 7 - The Feelings - Wake Up You!: The Rise And Fall Of Nigerian Rock, Vol. 2 1972-1977

The Believers - Life Will Move - Wake Up You!: The Rise And Fall Of Nigerian Rock, Vol. 2 1972-1977

Thony Shorby Nwenyi - No Wrong Show - Sweet Funk Music

Pat Thomas & Marijata - I Can Say - Coming Home: Original Ghanaian Highlife & Afrobeat Classics 1964-1981

Sahara All Stars Band Jos - Enjoy Yourself - Nigeria 70: The Definitive Story Of 1970's Funky Lagos

Geraldo Pino & The Heartbeats - Let Them Talk - The Rough Guide To West African Gold

Joni Haastrup - Greetings - Nigeria 70: The Definitive Story Of 1970's Funky Lagos

William Onyeabor - Body And Soul - Who Is William Onyeabor?

William Onyeabor - Heaven And Hell - Who Is William Onyeabor?

[donglepussthetwin]

[popradar]

Hollywood Bowl Announces Spectacular 2024 Summer Season

Courtesy of the LA Phil

On Tuesday, Feb. 6, the LA Philharmonic Association announced the 2024 Hollywood Bowl summer season, which runs June to September at the iconic venue nestled in the Hollywood Hills.

The music lineup features something for everyone. Here are 10 shows that we're looking forward to the most (so far) in no particular order:

June 15-16: The Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival returns with Jodeci, Kamasi Washington, Robert Glasper with Yebba, Christian McBride, Cory Henry, Charles Lloyd, Baby Rose, The Soul Rebels with Seun Kuti, Mulatu Astatke, Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, Alex Isley, Aneesa Strings and Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance Ensemble at UCLA.

June 19: T-Pain and the Color of Noize Orchestra are joined by singers, musicians, rappers and guest artists led by conductor Derrick Hodge for a Juneteenth celebration.

June 29: The Roots celebrate hip hop with Queen Latifah, Common, Digable Planets, Arrested Development, The Pharcyde and Black Sheep.

July 2-4: Harry Connick Jr., the LA Phil and conductor Thomas Wilkins celebrate the Fourth of July holiday.

July 6: L.A.'s own Beck performs with the LA Phil, conducted by Steven Reineke.

July 11: The Classical Thursdays series begins with the 100th-anniversary celebration of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet conducted by Lionel Bringuier along with opera star Isabel Leonard.

July 21: The KCRW Festival begins with co-headliners Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit and Sylvan Esso.

July 26: The incomparable Chaka Khan returns.

July 28: Celebrate the music of lyricist Alain Boublil and composer Claude-Michel Schönberg (Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, et al), sung by an all-star cast.

Sept. 21: Of course, no season's complete without Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music Sing-A-Long.

View the full schedule.

Tickets for the  summer season will be available online at hollywoodbowl.com or via phone at 323 850 2000 on the following dates:

Some packages and tickets are available now;

“Create Your Own” packages available on Tuesday, March 19 at 10 a.m.; and

The Hollywood Bowl Box Office opens for single-ticket sales on Tuesday, May 7, at 10 a.m.

[lboogie1906]

Meshell Ndegeocello (Michelle Lynn Johnson, August 29, 1968) is a German-born American singer-songwriter, rapper, and bassist. She has gone by the name Meshell Suhaila Bashir-Shakur which is used as a writing credit on some of her later work. Her music incorporates a wide variety of influences, including funk, soul, jazz, hip-hop, reggae, and rock. She has received significant critical acclaim throughout her career, being nominated for eleven Grammy Awards, and winning one. She has been credited for helping to “spark the neo-soul movement”.

She was born in West Berlin, Germany to US Army Sergeant Major and saxophonist father Jacques Johnson and health care worker mother Helen. She was raised in DC where she attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts and Oxon Hill High School. She adopted her surname, which she says means “free like a bird” in Swahili.

She collaborated with Yerba Buena on a track featuring Ron Black for the Red Hot Organization’s tribute album to Fela Kuti, Red Hot, and Riot. Proceeds from the album went to various AIDS charities, per the Red Hot Organization’s mission.

She contributed a cover of U2’s “40” to the Enough Project and Downtown Records’ Raise Hope for Congo compilation. Proceeds from the compilation fund efforts to make the protection and empowerment of Congo’s women a priority, as well as inspire individuals around the world to raise their voices for peace in Congo.

She contributed to the essay anthology It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living, the vein of the It Gets Better Project.

She is bisexual and had a relationship with feminist author Rebecca Walker. She married Alison Riley (2005). She has two sons. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[prnanayarquah]

Rocky Dawuni drops New Single “Shade Tree”, OUT NOW on all platforms!

New Post has been published on https://plugzafrica.com/rocky-dawuni-drops-new-single-shade-tree-out-now-on-all-platforms/

Rocky Dawuni drops New Single “Shade Tree”, OUT NOW on all platforms!

International musician, songwriter, producer and activist, Rocky Dawuni releases his new single “Shade Tree” worldwide on September 12, 2023. The single will be the first from the 3x GRAMMY Nominated musician’s forthcoming new album set to drop in 2024. “Shade Tree” is a timely new global anthem of empowerment and unity from the Ghanaian star.

The song is based on the concept of the tree that provides shade for all of the various “shades” of humanity. It is a convergence point and an oasis for all people. The shade tree is where conflicts and disagreements can be resolved; it provides “a shelter from the rain” which is shared amongst everyone. Humanity shares this common destiny because we are nature and our destiny is intimately entwined with each other and with all of life just as the roots of the tree. Under the tree we are a community in our individuality.

  Listen Here: ​https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/rockydawuni/shade-tree​

As the lyrics say “we are one, but we are not the same.” Just like the leaves of the tree, we are not all of the same as we represent different textures, colors and shades but we all share the same roots. The song is from a perspective of a lonely soul, seeking connection and community which is found in various manifestations in everyday life where people gather, celebrate and find connection from isolation. At a time when Africa is awakening to new political realities and the wider world is grappling with further geo-political divisions, this is a poignant song that reminds people of our shared humanity.

Rocky Dawuni’s own unique “Afro Roots” sound mixes Roots Reggae, Afrobeat, Highlife, Soul, Pop & more. A galvanizing performer, Dawuni has shared the stage with luminaries including Stevie Wonder, Ozomatli, Peter Gabriel, Angelique Kidjo and many more. Rocky was named one of Africa’s Top 10 global stars by CNN having showcased his talent at prestigious venues such as The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center and The Hollywood Bowl. Rocky is a dedicated activist serving as a UN Goodwill Ambassador for the Environment for Africa and a Global Ambassador the World Day of African and Afro-Descendant Culture as well as running his own Rocky Dawuni Foundation. Through these and other designations he uses his music to shine a light on crucial issues facing humanity across the globe with live concerts, speaking roles, panels, youth empowerment and much more.

  “Shade Tree,” written by Rocky Dawuni, has additional production by GRAMMY Nominated engineer and musician extraordinaire, Anthony Brewster as well as renown engineer Michael Vail Blum. The song was mixed by multiple GRAMMY Award winning engineer and producer, Qmillion aka Keith Lewis, known for his work on the Robert Glasper “Black Radio” albums, Seun Kuti and more. Drawing from diverse influences and vocals stylings that sometimes recall classic soul singers like Curtis Mayfield and D’Angelo, with a production approach that merges elements of Hip Hop, Reggae and soul stirring social commentary,” Shade Tree” keeps things moving with its irresistible conscious groove heralding a new world of hope.

“Shade Tree” is NOW AVAILABLE worldwide on all platforms at: ​https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/rockydawuni/shade-tree​ ​

Rocky Dawuni Links:

​http://www.rockydawuni.com ​

​http://www.instagram.com/rockydawuni​

​http://www.facebook.com/rockydawuni​

​http://www.twitter.com/rockydawuni​

​http://www.youtube.com/rockydawunimusic ​ ​http://www.rockydawunifoundation.org